Screening of newborn babies: From blood spot to bedside

摘要

In The Lancet, Shakila Thangaratinam and colleagues1 report findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis of pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart defects in asymptomatic newborn babies. The investigators note that the overall sensitivity of pulse oximetry (76.5%, 95% Cl 67.7-83.5) compared with other methods of detection (eg, prenatal ultrasound and routine physical exam), and the low false-positive rate (0.14%, 006-0.33), provide convincing evidence for introduction of this technique as a screening method in clinical practice. The investigators conclude that pulse oximetry for such defects meets criteria for universal screening.